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W. H. H. TRACY. Neck-Band Shaper. v

No. 223,778. Patentedjan. 20, 1880,.

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N FETERS PHOIO-LITHOGRAFHER. wAsmNGTON. D. C.

V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HfH. TRACY, OF TROY, YORK.

NECK-BAND SHAPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,778, dated January 20, 1880. I Applitation filed May 10. 1879 Ironing-Board, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is, by means of the neck-band shaper, raised and lowered substantially as set forth, in combination with the ironing-board, to give a uniformly upright position to the neck-bands of different sizes of shirts while ironing and smoothing the bosoms. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the shaper in elevation, in combination with the ironing-board. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the ironing-board A, showing channelv c c for the spring-acted followers a a. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the shaper B, showing the vertical grooves F F therein. Fig. 4 is a section of the ironing-board and shaper on the line a, Fig. 1, showing the bracket attachment 0 to the table and means for holding the driving screw-bolt E in position. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the shaper, showing location of the vertical grooves therein. Fig. 6 is a view of the adjustable board a, showing location of pin f. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the adjustable board and spiral spring I) on rod d, which passes through the pin f. Fig. Sis a detached View of the driving screwbolt with fixed handwheel D and nut g. Fig. 9 is a back View of the bracket 0 and top cross-guide of the same, showing a slot, h, to receive the nut of the screw-bolt. 7

My combined ironing-board and shirt-neckband shaper.is constructed substantially as follows: The board A, which board should be metallic, at one extremity is recessed to admit of the raising and lowering therein of the shaper B, which is made of metal, suitably covered with cloth or felting, and is constructed or cast tapering from its lower to its upper end, and approximates a vertical section of frustum of a cone, and thereby is capable of adjusting itself by the means used to different sizes of neck-bands.

I cast with the top of. the shaper a projecting flange. (SeeninFig.3.) Through an openingin this flange I insert the screw-bolt E, having a fixedhand-wheel, D, (seenin Fig. 4,) by the turnin g of which to the right or left the shaper is lowered or raised, as may be required. From at about the point where the curves meet (seen in Fig. 2) I cut awayasuitable channel, (shown in dotted lines',) in which I place the springacted followers, of metal or other suitablematerial, a a, on line with the table. which, by means of the spiral spring confined in the slot on the under surface of the board, are self-adjustable on the same plane to the base of the shaper in all positions thereof.

To enable the operator to use the shaper with shirt-bands of various lengths, ,I have an arrangement of cooperating elements, substantially as follows I attach on or near the center line of the under surface of the board the curved arm or bracket 0, having a top crossguide, which engages with or slides in the vertical grooves F F of the movable shaper B, and also has a suitable opening, it, in which the nut g is placed, which operates with the screw-bolt in raising and lowering the shaper; or the driving screw-bolt E may be tapped directly into the corresponding threads or opening made in the top of the cross-guide, (seen in Fig. 5,) when the opening it and nut 9 may be dispensedwith.

In ironing a shirt my device is operated as follows: I draw the shirt-body over the board, the neck-band being buttoned; then by turning the hand-wheel D of the screw-bolt to the right or left, as may be necessary, the former is lowered or raised, as may be required, so as to completely fill up and tightly press the inner surface of the shirt neck-band. The springacted followers a a adjust themselves closely to the shaper at any point of depression or elevation of the shaper, and by ironing and polishing the shirt-bosom closely up to and around the lower portion of the band a smooth and uniform finish is given to the bosom, white the shirtband is formed in an upright position, which so remains after the bosom is ironed, and the bosom and band readily and comfortably conform themselves to the human chest and neck; and in operating with my device in laundering shirts the neck-bands of the different sizes present and maintain a uniformly vertical position, best conforming to the contour of the neck and chest, and it can readily be adapted grooved ways upon its interior and having a screw-shaft for operation in connection with the aforesaid niit, substantially as shown and described.

3. A vertically-movable neck-band shaper and adjacent spring-acted followers, in combination with a bosom-board, all constructed and operated substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a bosom-board having a recess in its front end, of a tapered vertically-movable neck-band shaper and springacted followers, substantially as and for the 2 5 purpose set forth.

WILLIAM H. H. TRACY. Witnesses:

ANDREW CUNNINGHAM, JAMES W. PALMER. 

